Vice President, Marketing Strategy & Omni Channel Communication

Company Description

Dedicated to telling stories and creating experiences, Indigo is always looking for bright, energetic and customer-focused people who can help bring our exciting mission to life in one of our more than 170 Indigo, Indigospirit, Chapters and Coles stores across Canada. We offer a variety of exciting opportunities at our retail stores, distribution centres, and home office for people who share our passions and want to be part of a dynamic and enriching culture.

WHO WE ARE

• We love books and all things beautiful
• We are Canada's Cultural Department Store
• Books are our heart and our soul and Great Books are JUST the Beginning…

We play by the following rules:

• We exist to add joy to our customers' lives each and every time they interact with us and our products
• Our job is to create joyful moments for our customers
• We treat each other the way we'd treat a valued friend
• We inspire each other to do our best work
• We seek to ignite creativity and innovation every day
• We give back to the communities in which we operate

MISSION

The Vice President of Marketing Strategy and Omni-channel Communication is responsible for creating and executing Indigo's Marketing and Communication strategy. The Vice President will lead the cross-functional Storytelling Process, drive qualified omnichannel traffic and sales, and ensure all aspects of Indigo's visual and written customer-facing communication reinforce our brand mission to inspire reading.

KEY PERFORMANCE METRICS

• Retail & online traffic and sales growth
• Customer Engagement Metrics (NPS, Social, Email)
• Booklover spend/frequency
• On-time delivery of the storytelling process stage-gates
• Overall Marketing costs as a percent of sales
• Employee Engagement Score

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

Strategic

• Leads the cross-functional Storytelling Process with omni-channel content that reinforces Indigo's mission and brand image
• Drives the development of brand communication campaigns
• Delivers integrated cross-functional strategic plans for critical strategic priorities (Adult Reading, Kids, Gifting, & Teachers)
• Drives qualified omni-channel traffic and sales
• Drives overall customer health in close partnership with Director of Customer Insights
• Develops an annual and seasonal integrated marketing plan including all media buying and external support
• Responsible for acting as senior lead on cross functional strategic initiatives
• Supports Indigo goals by executing and developing plans to support annual goals
• Maintain a high level of strategic foresight by identifying customer and business needs, and adjusting departmental and team objectives accordingly

Functional

• Leads storytelling, marketing communication planning, media planning & business unit marketing strategy processes
• Develops full marketing and communication plans in support of all key corporate initiatives
• Develops and facilitates mass promotional plans
• Act as an advocate for the customer by placing them at the forefront of decision-making
• Proactively identifies and anticipates customer expectations and needs
• Collaborates between all marketing disciplines and other parts of the organization to execute an integrated marketing program
• Ensures the execution of team deliverables and adapts team priorities based on changing needs
• Set team budgets, as applicable
• Challenges the status quo by consistently identifying areas for improvement and innovative thinking

People

• Build a talented, collaborative, highly engaged marketing team. Attract and develop 'A' talent
• Give authentic feedback on performance and potential
• Ensure all team members have clear performance objectives aligned with Indigo and department goals
• Build overall team engagement
• Develop a robust talent succession plan
• Collaborate with others to drive flexible and iterative solutions
• Help others see the impacts of their efforts and proactively engage other functions to get input
• Encourage others to freely share their point of view and be open to feedback.

Cultural

• Role model Indigo's guiding principles and convey a positive image in everything you do
• Celebrate the diversity of thought and have an open mindset
• Take an active role in fostering a culture of continual learning, taking risks without the fear of making mistakes
• Embrace, champion, and influence change through your team and/or the organization.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

Reports to: Chief Marketing Officer

Internal:

• Marketing Leadership Team (eCommerce, Loyalty, PR)
• VP Creative
• Merchants (Chief Merchant, SVP Trade, VP Adult)
• SVP Retail Strategy & Operations

External:

• Advertising agency (if applicable)
• External Media agencies (if applicable)
• Publishing contacts

Qualifications:

Work Experience / Education / Certifications

• Post-Secondary Degree in Marketing, Business Administration, or related field
• Minimum 15 years' progressive experience in marketing
• Minimum 7 years' experience leading people.

Competencies / Skills / Attributes

• Passion for customers by placing them at the core of all marketing, design, and decision-making processes.
• Strong creative aptitude.
• Strong analytical skills, both quantitative and qualitative.
• High attention to detail and strong organizational skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to lead multiple direct reports.
• Service driven, customer focused.
• Ability to motivate and excite employees.
• Willingness to make decisions and take calculated risks.
• Creative and innovative approach to problem solving.
• Belief in accountability and ownership.
• Belief in the value of communication, including active listening.
• True believer in teamwork and the ability to understand the impact of one's actions on another team, individual or process.
• Desire to continuously learn and improve what and how we do it.
• 'Hands-on' approach.

Additional information:

At Indigo, we are committed to our communities, our customers, and each other; together we can make a positive impact. We know that fostering diversity and inclusion brings out your full potential and creates a joyful and welcoming environment for everyone. We are driven to be an equitable employer, which highly values your diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. We believe that you, in all your uniqueness, belong at Indigo. We welcome all applicants and encourage applications from individuals who identify as Black, Indigenous, a person of .